A Last Chapter
by Chemistress
Summary: The days following the night of the Final Battle in Hogwarts; Harry and Minerva McGonagall prepare the funeral for the former Headmaster Snape;
1. Chapter 1

_This is the translation of my first story written in German 2 years ago; I'ld like to thank stsgirlie who helped me again to get my German out of the English...; everything I write I hope to be JKR's...I just tried to add a few things I missed her writing herself...so nothing should be mine really..._

As Harry woke up from his exhausted sleep, his senses took in his surroundings. They found it familiar – the smell of old wood and dusty curtains, the way the mattress fit his back so comfortably, and the light of the moon falling on his face from the window in just the right angle. But something was wrong, and as he had spent the last months in constant vigillance he woke up with a start.

He recognized his dormitory in Gryffindor Tower at once, and he also realized what had alarmed him subconsciously – he was alone.

The room, the whole tower, was absolutely quiet. And like a wave, the memories of last night flooded back into Harry's mind. With a groan he sank back on the bed: Yes, it was all over, it was finished! He had reached his goal, Voldemort was dead. He, Harry, had done what the magic world had expected him to do and brought him down in a duel.

Well, what had really brought down the Dark Lord in the end had been the legendary Elder Wand, in whose powers he trusted but whose loyalty he could not claim.

Harry felt tremendously relieved, the heavy burden of responsibility that had worn him out was gone – but now a big hollow emptiness and a desperate pain had taken its place, making him press his face into his pillow and swallow hard. He saw it again, the picture of the Great Hall filled with the long lines of dead and wounded: Remus and Tonks, Fred, Colin and so many others, they had not survived the last battle. And he remembered how Luna had helped him to get away from it all when he could not stand it any longer. She had proved herself a wonderful friend, just like Neville, who had surprised them all by taking down Nagini, the last of the Horcruxes. Maybe the prophecy had been so unspecific for a reason, not deciding if he or Neville were the chosen one, as they both had their part to play to bring down the Dark Lord?

Harry was not able to stay in the dormitory any longer. It seemed he had slept through the whole day that followed the night of the battle, after leaving the Headmaster's office with Ron and Hermione and telling them he needed some rest. Where might they all have spent the last hours? But being wizards should enable them to create room to sleep even in the heavily damaged castle. He threw his robes on and went down the stairs into the common room. It seemed empty on the first glance, but the fire was burning, and when he entered, he realized that Professor McGonagall was sitting in one of the armchairs, obviously waiting for him.


	2. Chapter 2

"Good evening, Harry. Would you please join me for a while?" she asked him quietly. Harry sat down in the chair facing her and noticed with a shock that his Head of House, who had been such a pillar of strength and determination yesterday night, radiating a power one would not expect of the slender, elderly lady at first glance, obviously had not found any sleep since then. And he also suspected that she had cried.

Harry recalled the moment when Voldemort had presented what he thought was his dead body to the people assembled in Hogwarts. The intensity of the pain of his former teacher had come as a surprise to him. He realized now that he had never given any thought to the woman who filled the position of Professor for Transfiguration, Head of Gryffindor House and Deputy Headmistress. He had taken her for granted, trusted her unconditionally from the first day of his starting school at Hogwarts, and when he had witnessed her being insulted at Ravenclaw Tower yesterday it had made him so angry that he had been driven to cast a Cruciatus Curse for the first time in his life. But he had never tried to imagine what she might be feeling in her position. Hermione used to enlighten Ron and himself with such kind of contemplations, but she was with Ron and his family now. Harry held back a sigh, somehow he still felt like an outsider, separated from the rest of their society.

"Harry, there are several things I would like to talk with you about."

Harry looked up and caught Minerva McGonagall's eyes. With a slight raising of her eyebrows she reacted to his evident surprise and continued. "A great part of Wizarding society is here at Hogwarts at the moment, and still without an official leadership. Kingsley has Apparated back to London though and I expect him to be named the new Minister in a matter of hours.

She hesitated for a short moment. "I think that I am seen as the future Headmistress, so I will give orders about how to proceed around here, but before I do so I would like to discuss a few matters with you."

Harry was surprised at how natural it felt to be addressed in this manner by his former Professor, almost as if he was a colleague. He had to decide so many things of grave importance all by himself these last days that he saw__himself how much he had changed, that he had grown up and placed into a position of authority that he had to find a way to handle now.

The Headmistress stood up slowly, turned and stopped in front of the fireplace.

"We have been able to restore the hospital wing today, and some healers from 's have joined us, so most of the wounded and their families can stay here for the moment. But the families whose members are all able to travel, and the ones who will want to bring a dead family member home to be buried will start to prepare to leave during the day."

Harry looked at his former Head of House questioningly. It was obvious that she found it hard to come to the point troubling her, as she now turned again and stepped over to the window. Out on the grounds the first clouds of fog began to cover the meadows.

"There is one of the dead who has no family to mourn him."

Her words hung in the room as if not addressed to somebody specific, and Harry felt his stomach go tense with dread. He recalled how he had suddenly realized yesterday that there was something that connected him, Professor Snape and Lord Voldemort – for all three of them Hogwarts had been their only true home.

Harry stared at his hands he had clenched together in his lap. He would not be here today without Ron and Hermione's friendship, and even in the Order the people fighting against Voldemort always had a group of other members to call on. But Professor Snape had been forced to kill the only person who could be counted as a friend. Harry could only start to imagine how lonely this man must have been, and all the time he had only been thinking about him filled with anger and hatred.

"How did Severus die, Harry? What happened exactly? Why did you know the truth all of a sudden?"

Minerva McGonagall had returned to the armchairs at the fireplace and sat down in the one next to the fire. Now it was Harry who could not sit still but began pacing up and down the room. At first searching for the right words after each sentence, and then faster and faster as he gained confidence, he told her about what happened in the Shrieking Shack and then about the memories he got to see in the Pensieve. The Headmistress did not interrupt. If it was at all possible she turned paler than she had been and slumped further down in the armchair. At last, after a few minutes of silence, she had regained her composure and spoke.

"I'll bring his body back to the castle and will organize his funeral for tomorrow. Everybody should delay their departure until after then. I do remember the discussion we had after Albus' death, that it is not customary to bury the Headmaster on the school grounds, but you were very much in favour of this idea back then….would you support me on this now, too, Harry?"

During her last words, Harry had taken the position at the window and he glanced across towards the lake. The white, marble tomb of Albus Dumbledore was lit by the moonlight and stood shining in front of the glittering surface of water.

"I want to get him out of the Shrieking Shack myself", he stated, " and I will take Ron and Hermione along. We transported him out of there once already, three years ago. Back then we had attacked him, as we saw him as our enemy….and a short time later he protected us from a werewolf… I do think we owe it to him…" he added quietly.

Professor McGonagall stepped next to Harry and put a hand lightly on his shoulder. She also let her eyes wander over to the lakeshore.

"Very well, then – I will prepare the ceremony."

After a moment of silence Harry cleared his voice: "I suggest you ask Draco if he wants to carry the coffin. Professor Snape was his Head of House after all, and there are not too many Slytherins left here now." He hesitated a little before he continued: "Draco's mother protected me yesterday in the forest. Nobody else noticed this. Her love for her son was stronger than her loyalty to Voldemort."

The Headmistress looked at Harry deep in thoughts. "Ah, so this is the reason for the presence of the Malfoy family within the castle. I am very glad nobody has asked about that yet. Now is not the right time to sit trial over somebody."

Harry had almost reached the entrance of the common room in order to leave and find Ron and Hermione, when he heard Minerva McGonagall's quiet request: "Would you mind to accompany me to the Headmaster's office, Harry? It may seem strange to you, but I dread taking my place up there right now. It is much harder than it has been after Albus' death." Her voice sounded unusual cracked and Harry turned back to her and nodded silently. Then he held the portrait hole open for her and they both stepped out into the dark corridor.


	3. Chapter 3

When they arrived at the gargoyle guarding the entrance to the Headmaster's quarters Harry waited for his companion to give the password. "Professor Snape's password was 'Dumbledore'", he uttered what came to his mind. "I think that made me realise for the first time, that what I believed him to be could not be true." At his remark Minerva McGonagall's hand had reached for the railing and she gave a small sigh as both of them were lifted upwards on the moving stairs. If only she had known!

"Harry, I am sure you can imagine how impatiently and with many questions on my mind I sat here last summer, waiting for Albus' portrait to wake up." In a subdued voice she continued, "And then Voldemort managed to get the control over the Ministry and Severus was appointed Headmaster. I had to move out of this office before I had the opportunity to talk to Albus. Not being able to do that has been a terrible blow."

She had felt most cruelly betrayed and had treated Severus accordingly, as had all the other collegues. "Today I recognize we might have been able to understand that Severus' orders as Headmaster were for the best of the students, given the circumstances. Due to the fact that Voldemort trusted him, he has been able to handle things in a way I could have never done," she added thoughtfully. Meanwhile they had reached the top of the stairs and, opening the heavy oak door, they entered the dark, silent office.

Harry's eyes were drawn to the portrait of Albus Dumbledore behind the large desk at which Minerva McGonagall had sat down, still deep in thoughts. The old wizard was sleeping, as were his predecessors in the other portraits hanging all around on the office walls. Now there would be a new one of Severus Snape joining them. Harry exchanged a glance with his former Professor. She nodded slightly and sent him off with a quiet: "Thank you, Harry. The Weasley family and Hermione have taken quarters in the Transfiguration classroom."


	4. Chapter 4

As Harry opened the classroom door after a cautious knock, he found Mr. and Mrs. Weasley conversing quietly at one of the desks at the window. The others seemed to be sleeping in the bunkbeds at the end of the room. On seeing Harry Molly Weasley got up at once and pulled him into a tight embrace.

"Harry, how are you? Did you get some rest? Where have you been?"

Hearing Harry's name mentioned a head came up at one of the beds. It was Ginny, and Harry, replying "Yes, thank you, I am fine!" slipped away from Mrs. Weasley and joined his girlfriend on her bed. They held each other tight until the greatest part of the strain they had been under had been relieved.

"Are Ron and Hermione here, too?" Harry asked at last.

"Yes, do you want to wake them?"

Harry nodded and when the two friends sat on the bed with them, he told of his intention to go back to the Shrieking Shack, to bring Professor Snape's body over to the castle. Hermione bit her lips in shock. "How could we forget about him until now? I don't believe it! We should have gone this morning, right away after you had told us what had happened!"

Ron shook his head. "Don't get upset, Hermione. Mum and Dad needed us here, and Harry was too exhausted. We'll go now, and it'll be okay."

Harry looked at Ron and Hermione questioningly. "Did you talk with the others about what I told you?"

Ron blushed. "Yes, we couldn't avoid it. They had all day to question us."

Harry got up and pulled Ron up, too. "It's fine. I'm glad that I don't have to repeat it all over again. And we won't have to explain so much now."

The three of them put on their robes and shoes and walked over to Ron's parents. Harry explained briefly that Professor McGonagall was planing Professor Snape's funeral for the next day and Arthur Weasley nodded thoughtfully.

"You three are the last ones who know of the secret passageway to the Shrieking Shack, if I see this correctly."

"I do hope it will be demolished soon", his wife added firmly.

When the trio opened the door to leave, Ginny took Harry's hand. "You will take me along, won't you? I am not planing on leaving your side again anytime soon."

A blanket of fog covered the castle grounds and the silence was almost tangible so that none of them spoke a word until they reached the Whomping Willow. Hermione lifted a rock up with her wand and a second spell sent it against the spot at the tree-trunk to stop its movements. Then they let themselves down into the passage that led to the hut at the outskirts of Hogsmeade village.

At the end of the tunnel, Hermione stopped and looked at Ron, hesitating. He pulled himself up first, then Hermione followed, then Harry helped Ginny. Finally, he himself stepped back into the room he had fled almost twenty-four hours ago full of fear, confused and without hope.

By the pale light of their wands, they saw Snape's body lying on the wooden floor, just as Harry and Hermione had left him. Ron and Ginny held their breath in shock. He had lost an enormous amount of blood, his hand resting in a large dried pool of it. With a swift movement of her wand, Hermione made the blood disappear, then knelt next to the dead man, brushing his hair away from his face. Ginny, who had joined her, started to cry silently.

For a moment, Harry stood motionless next to Ron. Both boys swallowed hard while they looked at the girls and their former teacher, who they had hated with all their hearts while he was still alive. Communicating with a single glance, they went up to the stairs to the room where they had met Sirius three years earlier. Harry explained to Ron that he did not intend to move Snape with the help of a spell, and so they worked together to transfigure the metal bedstead into a stretcher.

When they finally took it downstairs, the girls were expecting them already. After they had moved Snape onto the stretcher Ginny and Hermione lifted it at the front, Ron and Harry at the back, beginning their journey back to Hogwarts. They used their magic where necessary to widen the passage, just as they had at Gringotts.

When they were on the grounds again and had almost reached the castle, they saw a dark, slender figure appear out of the fog. Minerva McGonagall came up from the direction of the tomb at the lake. Silently, she pointed to the side entrance that led directly to the dungeons of Slytherin House. She walked ahead of them and lit the corridor that ended at Professor Snape's private quarters. Now that the inhabitant of the rooms was dead, the door opened without difficulties. The four friends lowered the stretcher onto the sofa in front of the bookcase and stepped aside to make room for Professor McGonagall.

The Headmistress leaned heavily on the armrest of the sofa with both hands. She seemed very old and vulnerable in that moment. Her sad eyes fixed on the face of the dead man she dismissed her former students.

"Thank you all! Go and get some sleep before we meet again tomorrow morning." Her voice sounded hoarse.

Harry worriedly looked to Hermione, asking her opinion. But Hermione, although pale and sorrowful, gave a nod of confirmation and started to walk back to the door. The three others followed more or less reluctantly and, a few moments later, the echo of the door closing behind them resounded through the empty corridor.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning the Great Hall was decorated half in black and half in silver and green, the Slytherin colours. All house-tables were gone and the benches faced the staff table at the front of the hall. At the Headmaster's place stood a painting showing Professor Snape in his laboratorium. In front of the table stood the coffin, draped in green and silver, the silver-coloured snake missing from the house banner.

Most of the seats were already taken and Harry could feel many eyes following him when he walked up to the front bench with Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville and Luna. They took their seats next to the members of the Order of the Phoenix. The atmosphere seemed to bristle from all the unspoken questions, and the humming of the voices behind him made him nervous.

But then the door of the antechamber opened and the teachers entered, led by Professor McGonagall. While the collegues sat down Minerva McGonagall remained standing at her customary place at the right hand of the Headmaster's chair. All of a sudden, it was absolutely quiet. All the eyes were fixed on her and Harry draw a deep breath. Her upright figure showed confidence and authority when she addressed the assembly in a serious voice. "The lioness is back", was the thought that filled Harry's heart and mind and he felt immensely relieved. When he shot a glance at Hermione he saw her sending a small smile back at him.

It was unlikely that there has been a speech held in this hall before to which the listeners payed such rapt attention as to the one Minerva McGonagall held now on the occasion of the funeral of her predecessor. She was well aware of the fact that all of the people assembled bore their own burden and many funerals would follow this first one. But none of the others who fell in the war against Voldemort had suffered such unjustice. In vivid words, the Headmistress explained the role that Severus Snape had played in the fight against the Dark Lord.

Harry was not simply drawn in by her words – instead he was overwhelmed by a wave of gratitude. Just a few days ago, he would have thought it an impossible dream to be siting here, alive, and next to his closest friends. And he felt so relieved that Professor McGonagall had taken on explaining to the wizarding society how he, Harry, had found out that Professor Snape was not responsible for the death of Albus Dumbledore. Of course, he would have to give his testimony at some Ministry committee sometime soon, but right now, it felt so good to be allowed to keep silent.

When the Headmistress had finished, Professor Slughorn and Draco Malfoy stepped out in front and lifted the coffin up to carry it outside. All the collegues and the assembly stood up and followed them in one long procession through the main entrance out of the castle. The school grounds lay under a bright summer sky, but the beauty of the day could not hide the many scars of destruction.

At the lakeshore, a dark granite block stood next to the tomb of Albus Dumbledore and the coffin of the Potions Professor, Head of Slytherin House and late Headmaster, laid to rest there. As soon as the last guests from the hall had arived at the shore, Minerva McGonagall raised her wand, almost unnoticed. And just like a year ago at the funeral of Professor Dumbledore white flames shot up around the coffin, the smoke spiralling up into the blue of the sky. Then, just as sudden as they had appeared, they were gone and a tomb of black granite could be seen instead.

A restrained murmur ran through the assembled crowd as everybody was deeply moved by the image that had been created in front of them. The new tomb seemed like a dark brother to its white neighbour. Both of them together gave the impression of something whole, something that was complete now, that had come to an end. And a first presentiment of peace and reconciliation filled the hearts of those already able to be comforted.


End file.
